Whole Education

Fizzees (Physical Electronic Energisers) is a prototype project that enables young people to care for a 'digital pet' through their own physical actions. In order to nurture their digital pet, keep it healthy and grow, young people must themselves act in physically healthy ways.

The aim of this project is to encourage young people to undertake a greater amount of physical activity and to develop an understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. The prototype accurately measures the player’s exercise levels (specifically a measurement of heart-rate linked to movement that is compared to previous activity scores) which is then represented visually in the form of an animated character ‘living’ on a wristwatch-type device – a Fizzee. The Fizzee’s maturation and appearance changes are dependent upon the activity levels of the user: the young person cares for and nurtures their digital pet by caring for and nurturing themselves. A website is also provided as an opportunity for children to compare their Fizzees with those of others and to enable further interrogation of their own health data. As young people play at caring for the Fizzee, they are encouraged to become an active part of the game world, controlling, caring for and nurturing their own Fizzee.

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Website
futurelab.org.uk
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Harbourside
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